Method of making equalizer beams



Dec. 18, 1951 c. A. BRAUCHLER METHOD OF MAKING EQUALIZER BEAMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 10, 1946 INVENTOR. CfiarlesA.B1-azzcfiler ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1 1 c. A. BRAUCHLER 2,579,030

METHOD OF MAKING EQUALIZER BEAMS Filed May l0-, 1946 4 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

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ATTORNEYS Dec. 18, 1951 c. A. BRAUCHLER 2,579,030

METHOD OF MAKING EQUALIZER BEAMS Filed May 10, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 Q I mmvrox. g l ChaglesABrauclzler 17 M AT TORNEYS Dec. 18, 1951 c. A. BRAUCHLER METHOD OF MAKING EQUALIZER BEAMS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 10 1946 y INVENTOR- Chczrles A.Brau clzler ATTORNEYS Dec. 1-8, 1951 c. A. BRAUCHLER 2,579,030

7 METHOD OF MAKING EQUALIZER BEAMS Filed May 10, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 EM-- s: it:

Clza g'lesAfil z zer ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES METHOD OF MAKING E UA'L'IZER BEAMS Charles A. Brauchler, ban'tcn, Ohio Application May 10, 1946, Serial No. 668,803-

2 Claims. 1

The invention relates to equalizer beams for railroad car trucks, and to a novel method of forging the same.

The equalizer beam, as commonly used in railroad car truck's, comprises an elongated beam or bar having its opposite ends turned upward and terminating in outwardly disposed pads which rest upon the journal boxes of the wheel axles, springs being interposed between the straight portions of the equalizer beams and the truck body, which in turn supports the bolsters upon which the car body is mounted.

Under present practice these equalizer beams are ordinarily formed from heavy metal plates, slabs, bars or billets of suitable length, the opposite ends of which are bent upward and then outward to roughly conform to the desired shape. after which the entire beam is machined to finished shape and size.

This method of forming the equalizer beams involves considerable expense due to the machini-ng operation, and in order to provide suflicient strength to carry the weight of the car body and its load these equalizer beams are very heavy.

The modern trend of railroads to increase the speed of trains has resulted in the redesigning of raih'oad cars to reduce the Weight wherever this can be safely done. With the use of lighter weight metals and lighter construction wherever possible the Weight of the car body has already been reduced to a minimum and apparently the only further reduction in weight which is possible is in the construction of the car trucks.

To this end applicant has produced an equalizer beam of considerably less weight and greater strength than the equalizer beam now in general use, and a method of forging the improved equalizer beam which obviates the costly machining operation required under present practice.

The object 01' the invention is to provide an equalizer beam of considerably less weight and greater strength than the equalizer beams now in general use.

Another object is to provide an equalizer beam which is forged to finished shape in closed dies.

A further object is to provide an equalizer beam having an I-shape cross section which materially reduces the weight and increases the strength of the equalizer beam.

A still further object is to provide a method of forming an equalizer beam from a round, or round cornered square steel or alloy bar by heating the ends of the bar to forging temperature and bending them upwardly and outwardly in 2 open dies, and their huestill hot, or if and when necessary, reheating the partly completed roduct to rorgine temperature and forging it to finished shape in closed dies. I

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved equalizer beam in the manner and method hereinafter described in detail and illustrated "in the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a erspective view or a round cornered square bar from which the equalizer beam may be forged; r

Fig. 2 an elevation of the open bending dies in open position showing the bar blank inserted therein ready for bending:

Fig'. 3 an elevation '6! the open beildfilg' (1165 showing them in the operated or closed position with one end of the bar blan'li bent upward and outward thereby;

Fig. 4 a plan elevation of one of the closed dies showing one end portion of the bar blank thereon and forged to finished I-beam shape;

Fig. 5 a longitudinal section through both or the closed. dies in closed position taken substantially on the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 a transverse section through the closed dies in closed position taken substantially on the line li -6, Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. '7 an elevation of the completed I-beam equalizer beam; 7

Fig. 8 a transverse section through the equalizer beam taken as on the line 8-8, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 a transverse section taken as on the line 0-9, Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 a transverse section taken as on the line. lO -l 0, Fig. 7; V

Fig. '11 an elevation of a forged equalizer beam made in accordance with the method forming the part of this invention but without the I-beam cross section; 7

Fig. 12a section taken on the line l2l2, Fig. 11;

Fig. 1 3 a transverse section taken on the line l3|3, Fig. 11; and.

Fig. 1 4 a transverse section taken on the line "-14, Fig. 11.

The equalizer beam may be formed from a round or round cornered square steel or alloy bar of suitable length and cross sectional area as indicated generally at is in Fig. 1.

in the first operation of forming the equalizer beam each end portion of the bar 15 is heated to forging temperature and bent upward and 3 then outward, roughly conforming to the desired shape.

For this purpose open bending dies such as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 are preferably used. These open bending dies comprise the lower stationary dies indicated generally at I6 and the upper movable dies, indicated generally at I! and carried by the vertically movable ram I8 of a hydraulic-or othersuitable press, the lower dies I6 being mounted upon the; pad thereof.

The lower die I6 has the horizontal fiat portion I9 at its top, at one end thereof, and is inclined downwardly and inwardly as at 23 at substantially 30 to the horizontal surface I 9, merging into the concave, arcuate surface 2I and then into the upwardly and outwardly inclined flat surface 22, merging at its upper end into the convex arcuate surface 23 and then extending downwardly and outwardly in the flat surface 24 which is substantially parallel to the fiat surface 20.

The upper or movable die II. has a lower surface substantially conforming to the upper surface of the lower die and comprising the downwardly and inwardly inclined fiat surface 25 connected through the lower convex surface 26 to the concave surface 21 terminating in the downwardly and outwardly inclined flat surface28;

At the rear, or left handend of the lower die I 6 as viewedin the drawings, is .provided a bracket 29 upon which is pivoted as at 30 .a stop bar 3I, through which the stop screw 32 is threaded, a locking nut 33 being provided for locking the screw 32 in adjusted position relative to the bar 3I and a crank handle or the like, as indicated at, being provided for rotating the screw-within the bar so as to provide for rapid adjustment of the same.-

In forming the equalizer beam substantially one-half 'of the bar I is heated to forging temperature, and with the upper die I I raised, is positioned across the lower die I6 as shown in Fig. 2 the heated end of the bar I5 contacting the stop screw 32 to properly position the bar relative to the die.

The upper die I1 is then lowered as shown in Fig. 3, bending the heated end portion of the bar I5, as shown in said figure, between the open dies I 6 and H, the heated end portion of the bar I5 being bent upwardly as indicated at 35 and then outwardly as indicated at 3'6 and preferably slightlyreducing this portion of the bar I5 in thickness so as to facilitate the placing of the same in closed dies for performing the final operation as will be later described.

It will be seen by referring to Fig. 3 that as the upper die descends it will contact the stop screw 32 swinging the inner end of the same and the bar 3| in which it is carried, downwardly upon its pivot 30, and out of contact with the bar I5.

The other end portion of the bar I5 is then heated to forging temperature "and the above operation repeated in the open bending dies I6 and I1 so as to form both ends of the bar I5 in the manner above described.

The partially formed product thus produced is then forged to finished shape in apair of closed'dies which comprise the lower fixed die 31, adapted to be mounted upon the bed, and the upper movable die 38 carried by the ram 39 of a forging hammer or press, as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. I

In order to save space as well as to economize in the cost of the dies, each of these closed dies as shown in the drawings, may be of such size as to forge a little more than one-half of the equalizer beam in a single operation, although it should be understood that these dies may be of sufficient size to forge the entire equalizer beam to finished shape in a single operation.

In carrying out this step of the {process a little more than one-half of the partially formed product of the open bending dies which is still hot from the bending operation, or which if necessary is reheated to forging temperature, is hammered or press forged to finished form in the closed dies 31 and 38. These dies are of such length that they will forge slightly more than one-half of the equalizer beam at a time so as to assure that the central portion of the beam will be perfectly straight throughout its length. i

In Figs. 4 to 10 inclusive is shown an equalizer beam of Ibea'mcross section formed in the closed dies. For this purpose each of the dies 31 and 38 has a cavity thereon conforming to slightly more than one-half of the finished equalizer beam desired to be produced and comprising the straight I-beam section portion 40, the upwardly curved portion 4| of slightly I-beam cross section and the terminal straight padportion 42, conforming to the general shape of the portions 35 and 36 of the bar I5, as bent in the dies shown in Fig. 3.

After being thus forged as shown in Fig. 4, the partially finished product is removed from the dies, the flash is trimmed from the edge of the same, and the other end portion of the bar blank is heated to forging temperature and forged in the dies 3! and 38 to finished'form, producing the I-beam equalizer beam shown in Figs; 'Ito 10 and comprising the straight central I-beam portion 43 having the upper and lower flanges 44 and 45 connected by the web 46 which is preferably concaved in a continuous are on each side as best shown in Fig. 9.

Opposite ends of the equalizer beam are curved upwardly and slightly reduced as indicated at 41 having the more slightly concaved sides 48, as best shown in Fig. 10, and terminating in the outwardly disposed, horizontal pad portions 49 preferably tapered downward upon their upper sides as indicated at 50 and provided with the transverse grooves 5| in their under sides for mounting upon the journal boxes of the car wheel axles, these pad portions being substantially; rectangular in cross section as shown-in Fig. 8.

Equalizer beams formed in this manner have at least the same strength as the conventional type of equalizer beams now in general use, since the grain flow of the metal is retained unbroken and extends longitudinally through the equalizer beam from one end thereof to' the other,due to the manner in which it is formed.

These equalizer beams may be produced for less cost than the equalizer beams now in generaluse since all of the costly machining operations are eliminated, and furthermore, and most important, this I-beam type of equalizer beam greatly reduces the weight of the truck as each beam formed in this manner, while having at least the same strength, is about 300 pounds lighter in weight than the conventional beam, and since four of these equalizer beams are used in the two trucks of each railroad car this will mean a r'eduction of 1200 pounds in the weight of the trucks in each car.

It will be seen that in the forging of the bar blank in the closed dies the round, or round cornered square bar is reduced in thickness in one direction and increased in width in the other direction, the reduction in thickness being substantially the same throughout the length of the finished equalizer beam, excepting for the I-beam portion which of course is materially reduced in thickness toward its longitudinal center and the increase in width of the bum is the greatest throughout this portion as best shown by the cross section views in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

As shown in Figs. 11 to 14 the bar blank l5, first bent at its end portions in open dies as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may then be forged to finished shape in closed dies in the manner above described without producing the I-beam cross sectional shape in the finished equalizer beam indicated generally at 43 and comprising generally the straight elongated portion 46 of greatest width, the upwardly bent end portions 41', which are slightly tapered, and terminate-in the substantially horizontal, tapered pad portions 49', all of which are substantially rectangular in cross section as shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 and of substantially the same cross sectional thickness.

In this form of the equalizer beam the cross sectional thickness may be less than the cross sectional thickness of the I-beam equalizer beam at its widest point in order to out down the weight of the equalizer beam to that required in order to give it the necessary strength.

In this form of the equalizer beam, as well as in the form shown in Figs. 7 to 10, the longitudinal grain flow of the metal throughout the entire length of the beam will be uninterrupted so as to give added strength to the finished product.

Iclaim:

1. The method of making an equalizer beam having a main body portion provided with a generally I-beam cross-sectional shape, thickened end portions of generally I-beam cross-sectional shape curving and tapering upward and outward from the main body portion, and thickened seats of substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape at the extremities of the end portions; which method includes the steps of providing a straight bar blank of substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape, heating each end portion of the blank, then simultaneously tapering and bending each heated end portion successively upwardly and outwardly, then with the partly completed product at forging temperature forging each half thereof laterally to finished shape in closed dies so as to increase the width and decrease the thickness of the main body portion thereof and to simultaneously forge said main body portion and said upwardly bent portions to substantially I-shape cross-section having upper and lower chord flanges and a connecting web having arcuate concave side surfaces, and to simultaneously further taper said upwardly bent portions and to form said outwardly bent end portions into thickened rectangular seats having a width substantially the same as the chord flanges and merging the I-beam cross-section of said upwardly bent portions into the rectangular crosssection of said seats.

2. The method of 'making an equalizer beam having a main body portion provided with a generally I-beam cross-sectional shape, thickened end portions of generally I-beam cross-sectional shape curving and tapering upward and outward from the main body portion, and thickened seats of substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape at the extremities ,of the end P rtions; which method includes the steps of providing a straight bar blank of substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape; heating each end portion of the blank. then simultaneously tapering and bending each heated end portion successively upwardly and outward1y, then with the partly completed product at-forging temperature forging each half thereof laterally to finished shape in closed dies so as to increase the width and decrease the thickness of the main body portion thereof and to simultaneously forge said main body portion and said upwardly bent portions to substantially I-shape cross-section having upper and lower chord flanges and a connecting web having arcuate concave side surfaces while forming the connecting web of the main body portion of less thickness and greater width than the connecting web of the upwardly bent portions; and to simultaneously further taper said upwardly bent portions and to form said outwardly bent end portions into thickened rectangular seats having a width substantially the same as the chord flanges and merging the I-beam cross-section of said upwardly bent portions into the rectangular cross-section of said seats.

CHARLES A. BRAUCHLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 679,759 Lanz Aug. 6, 1901 725,787 Smith Apr. 21, 1903 1,605,553 McBride Nov. 2, 1926 1,631,623 Cochran June 7, 1927 1,791,187 Brauchler Feb. 3, 1931 1,922,793 Coyle Aug. 15, 1933 2,007,793 Crawford July 9, 1935 2,182,958 Bullock Dec. 12, 1939 2,239,045 Leighton Apr. 22, 1941 

